First Time
by Ennun
Summary: Everything feels more powerful when it happens for the first time. But what about that curse? What about those souls Allen sees? How could you possibly feel when seeing that for the first time and at such a young age?


A/N: Hi guys, and thank you for being here and reading! I hope you'll like it. Enjoy.

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Something, he knew, was very wrong. Not the screaming people, running around like headless chickens, crying for the life of them, trying, in their panic to flee the terrors unleashing around them. Heck, some were yelling so loud, he was more afraid of running deaf than dying. Not the buildings exploding all around him, throwing not just dangerously sharp derbies but also idiotically large chunks of walls, roofs and pretty much anything.

He heard one of those annoyingly inhuman shrikes and lifted his gun and fired, not even bothering to turn, rather concentrating on all the people around him. Much more specifically, trying to find one specific person. Even more to the point, a small kid with unbelievable white hair, huge-ass scar and a red left arm who was supposed to be standing right next to him. However, he couldn't, for the life of him, spot the damn child anywhere.

He spun around again, where he heard a woman scream and shot another round at the monstrosity in front of her. It went up in seconds, filling the winter ear with its poisonous gas. The brunet tentatively lifted her head just to jerk to her feet and start running when he yelled at her to "Get the fuck away" because she was apparently "in the way" And, in his offence, she really was, literally, in the way.

Another few gunshots later, and at least half of the machines were gone, as was half the population. Thank God for that. Another building went up in flames as he destroyed a level two. He then froze a moment, eyeing the building. "You've got to be kidding me…" he muttered with a frown. "They had the best beer I've had in a while and now it's gone! Brilliant! Just brilliant!"

The he heard it. The most terrifying and unforgettable scream he ever witnessed in his entire life. And that was saying something. But what made him dart in its direction wasn't the power of it, it wasn't because it was a kid's, it was because it was that kid's! "Allen!" For a brief moment, he feared that maybe a level three had appeared, or worse, a Noah. Though, he quickly dismissed the mere thought.

"Timcampy! Lead me to him! Now!" The golden ball suddenly fell from the sky and started leading him through a few small streets. Less than a few seconds later, he found himself in an opening, faced with something he never even dreamed of seeing again.

In front of him, down on his knees, eyes fixed on the ground was none other than his idiot of an apprentice. What threw the general off was not the apparent vomit at the boy's feet, hell; he only even noticed that because the kid puked again. What drew his attention were his eyes. They were the same dark, fearful, crazy eyes he had all the while before they left mother's. And he never, ever, thought he'd see them again, under no circumstance.

Then again, he never thought he would see that weird machine thing floating just in front of Allen's left eye either. Yet there it was, like a second eye, darting around, almost sickening. And the kid's own eye; pitch black instead of the pure white, with red outlines, replacing the beautiful and calming blue.

He had been wondering since he first laid eyes on that curse, what it would do to him. It obviously wasn't just for show. But he never thought he would see it transform the child's eye like that. It almost looked alive on its own.

He suddenly heard a mechanical sound and snapped his head up, cursing himself for even considering taking his eyes off his enemy. Though, in his defense, it seemed just as startled at the yell as he had been. All its guns were pointed then at the boy, ready to fire, but Cross knew he's were faster. He fired, and it exploded. Just like that; simple and to the point.

Looking back down, he was surprised to see the weird machine-like thing disappear and Allen's eye turn back to normal. He tentatively stepped forward, lowering his innocence and reaching out to the boy. "Allen…?" The boy's head snapped up, staring at him. A second passed on like that, Cross freezing in place, startled by the sudden movement. He recovered first and completely bent down in front of him. Before he could even open his mouth, however, the kid launched himself from his spot on the snow and threw his hands around Marian's neck.

Cross was so startled he lost balance for a second, almost falling down. His eyes were wide with shock and he stood like that a while before slowly turning his gaze on the boy that was…crying? "What the… You idiot, what are you doing? Why the fuck did you even scream like that!? You wanna give everyone in this godforsaken town a heart attack!? Heck, you almost gave the akuma a heart attack!"

And though he said that, he awkwardly started patting the other's back until he suddenly let go, stepped back, red as a tomato, sniffing and wiping his face. "I…I apologize master…I didn't mean to, um, well, you…uh…" cross stared for a second before smirking and bursting out laughing, making the kid blush even harder "Please don't laugh!" He wined, cleaning away tears that seemed to keep coming back.

He did stop laughing, instead opting for starting a new cigar and eyeing his pupil suspiciously. Not only did he never, and he meant never, let his master see him cry (though he could tell when that happened) but he also never screamed. At least not out of fear, and not on that level. He lifted his hand, motioning for the kid to come closer. He did, though a bit hesitantly.

Before talking, Cross threw in a punch over the head, for good measure. "Why did you scream? And why did you puke? What happened? And…" He moved the hair out of the way, revealing the pentagram "…What the hell was that?"

Allen seemed to hesitate before backing up again, covering his left eye, eyes filling back with unspoken fear. "Umm…" Cross waited patiently, never once taking his eyes off the boy. A few minutes pass, before the kid seemed to calm down again "When those akuma started showing up, in the square, and-and you told me to scram, I-uh, I ran here, but then…" He swallowed back a hiccup and breathed in before continuing "then another one, I think, followed me, and, umm… he-he was in human form, but, but then my eye started hurting and that man backed up and then, then my eye turned weird, and everything went in weird colors, and I heard the guns, so I looked up but…umm…on top of the akuma was…was…that…thing…"

Cross's eyebrow instantly went up "Thing?" He turned back to look at the remains of the monster, then back at his pupil "What thing?" Allen took a moment, also glancing at the remains and, without even realizing it, touching his cursed eye. "I don't know…but when master destroyed it, the, umm, thing turned into a pretty lady…"

Marian took a moment, eyes widening in suspicion as an unnerving thought struck. He looked at Allen in a bit of panic, with the boy responded to wit "And she said…Thank you…"

Cross stared, his mouth opening that even his cigar fell._ No way…_ he thought in horror._ No way had this boy seen what I think he did…_ He transformed his face in a blank expression and stood up, lighting up a new cigar "Allen" When he felt the other's gaze on him, he continued "Next time, I want you to stay glued to me, understand? No matter what"

Allen seemed a bit startled, but nodded nonetheless. "If you saw what I think you saw, then you're in for one hell of a ride" he made a grim smirk, watching his confused apprentice. He started walking again, ruffling the other's hair as he walked past him, receiving an unpleased muff in response.

_At least_, he thought, _you'll find trusting people easier_.

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A/N: Thank you for reading. I hope you liked it, maybe…hopefully? :'D  
If you don't mind and aren't too busy, maybe leave a review? A comment? A "hi"? Something?...No? ok *sad face* Well, at least you read it, so yay~  
Ok, see you guys later! Bye! :D


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